help seperate player from puck. two guys on one in that situation, jar the puck loose work the puck tot he front see what happens.

Again, that's Burrows. He's going to throw that hit a minute into the game, in the 2nd period and with less than a minute to go.

I like that kind of player. I like a physical brand of hockey. I prefer to have our guys finish off checks then peel away.

Especially in the offensive zone. Hits like that wear defenceman down. Hits like that are meant to hurt the opponent. Something I do not, nor have I ever had a problem with.

Hurting a guy with a check and trying to injury a guy to me are not one and the same.

An elbow to the head like Murray on Kostka tonight in the TB-MON game is a deliberate attempt to injure. This hit by Burrows was intended to hurt McD.

To me, there's a difference. Some may not see the difference, that's ok.

Just because he may not have intended to hurt McD doesn't mean the hit wasn't a cheap shot. There was no need to get his hands up and to sandwich McD at that point in the game.

I have a huge problem with the bolded portion of your quote. Sorry, I don't want my guys throwing hits that are meant to hurt opponents. Finishing checks is one thing. That wasn't a finished check. He got his hands up to his face.

The dirtiness of the hit wasn't the type of hit. It was: (1) the time of the game, (2) the score, (3) the fact that another player was going to hit him, (4) hands to the face.

Regardless, They're saying it's not serious, so hopefully that means at most he misses the regular season's final 5 games. I might sit him for 3 of them anyway.

(1) I could care less the time of the game. I prefer guys that play hard whistle to whistle.

(2) I could care less the score of the game. See above

(3) Kassian was on him, but with McD's superior skating ability, there's a better than average chance he skates away from danger there.

(4) Didn't see hands to the face and since we know this an arm thing, the hands to the face is non-issue (to me at least).

I'm not one of the guys that wants fights at the cost of the game. But I would like a team that can respond better in these situations.

It's not how the team is structured, I've come to accept that. Sather and his cronies do not know how to identify that type of talent, or they DO know how to identify it and choose not to acquire it via trade, signing or draft.

The McIlrath pick doesn't change anything. It's charachter trait that is lacking in very large percentage of our prospect pool.

Just because he may not have intended to hurt McD doesn't mean the hit wasn't a cheap shot. There was no need to get his hands up and to sandwich McD at that point in the game.

I have a huge problem with the bolded portion of your quote. Sorry, I don't want my guys throwing hits that are meant to hurt opponents. Finishing checks is one thing. That wasn't a finished check. He got his hands up to his face.

I absolutely do. We view the game differently. No harm in that.

The hands to the face is not what hurt McD. The hands to the face is a non-issue.

Nothing wrong with the Burrows hit. He's playing hard at the end of a game. If the game was out of hand, a blowout, that would be one thing. It wasn't, though. If it was a blowout, or we were in comfortable control, McDonagh wouldn't have been out there. He was out there because we needed to close out the game. Burrows was playing till the end, which is something that should be expected from every player at every level.

help seperate player from puck. two guys on one in that situation, jar the puck loose work the puck tot he front see what happens.

Again, that's Burrows. He's going to throw that hit a minute into the game, in the 2nd period and with less than a minute to go.

I like that kind of player. I like a physical brand of hockey. I prefer to have our guys finish off checks then peel away.

Especially in the offensive zone. Hits like that wear defenceman down. Hits like that are meant to hurt the opponent. Something I do not, nor have I ever had a problem with.

Hurting a guy with a check and trying to injury a guy to me are not one and the same.

An elbow to the head like Murray on Kostka tonight in the TB-MON game is a deliberate attempt to injure. This hit by Burrows was intended to hurt McD.

To me, there's a difference. Some may not see the difference, that's ok.

Seems like if he went for the puck instead of the highlight reel hit, they'd have a better shot at scoring. Plus, McD was engaged with Kassian, there's very good chance he'll get hurt from that hit. It looked like intent to injure or at the very least stupidity to me.

As far as the hit goes--it was a sandwich job. They happen. Burrows came in a bit high. It wasn't really what I'd call dirty. I doubt there is going to be a suspension. Girardi gave him a shot. Then others piled in. The anti-toughness guys want Girardi to fight Burrows.-??? Girardi's fought occasionally in the past but that's not really in his character. Want guys who will fight? get a tougher team. It's not like I'd be expecting the reverse from McD if it were Girardi that got nailed. I really wouldn't.

This 'team toughness' crap I first heard from Emile Francis in the 70's after he'd traded away Irvine, Butler and Sather to the Blues for John Davidson. That more or less meant Rod Gilbert was going to protect Jean Ratelle or Bill Fairbairn was going to protect Walt Tkaczuk every time that Schultz and Saleski and Dupont ganged up on them. It doesn't work. Wound up watching 5'8 Ed Johnstone of the 23 broken noses getting pummeled a lot because he didn't take a lot of ****. As far as fighting goes--you either got it in you or you don't. As far as this year's team it's up to the officials and the league to protect us when **** goes awry--however well they're up to that job. There is Carcillo and Dorsett. Dorsett reminds me a bit of Johnstone--just not as good of a player.

Nothing wrong with the Burrows hit. He's playing hard at the end of a game. If the game was out of hand, a blowout, that would be one thing. It wasn't, though. If it was a blowout, or we were in comfortable control, McDonagh wouldn't have been out there. He was out there because we needed to close out the game. Burrows was playing till the end, which is something that should be expected from every player at every level.

I kinda agree of course, but also kind of not.

We really got no argument to scream bloody murderer. Its a hit that looked at isolated can't be said much about. A bit over the top, but not illigal.

But they are down by 2 with 35 seconds on the clock. Burrows don't go in to take the puck, take McD out of the play etc, he goes in to make a big hit. Normally a hit like that is made to make the other team keep their heads up -- and there is nothing wrong with that, its part of the game -- but you definitely do not see many of them with 35 sec left on the clock...

If the Canucks can do this to us, imagine a real team in the playoffs. This is very worrisome:

The Canucks, facing elimination from the playoffs, were a desperate team and played like it, hemming the Rangers in most of the way. The Blueshirts were unable to create much time and space. Their defensemen were reduced to attempting to simply bang the puck out of the zone rather than make plays and then join the attack.
“We played a bit more in our end than we want to,” Staal said. “We weren’t able to find the middle of the ice like we normally do.

Seems like if he went for the puck instead of the highlight reel film, they'd have a better shot at scoring. Plus, McD was engaged with Kassian, there's very good chance he'll get hurt from that hit. It looked like intent to injure or at the very least stupidity to me.

Maybe, maybe not.

In that situation, I prefer for my players to seperate player from puck using their physicality.

At a certain point, AV may have to think about resting some of these guys. That first round series against Philly is going to be an absolute grudge-match. Make sure the players are healthy.

Despite being all but assured of a playoff spot at this point the Rangers are still fighting for positioning, you don't let off the gas and coast into the playoffs at this point, that's a bad bad idea. AV has been great at rolling 4 lines and giving the team rest days this season, I don't think that they need a rest in general. If McDonagh needs some time I think he'll sit but it'd be idiotic to sit a bunch of other players to "rest up" for the playoffs at this point.

Keep going, try to clinch 2nd in the division, keep the team hot and ready to do damage in the playoffs.

If the Canucks can do this to us, imagine a real team in the playoffs. This is very worrisome:

The Canucks, facing elimination from the playoffs, were a desperate team and played like it, hemming the Rangers in most of the way. The Blueshirts were unable to create much time and space. Their defensemen were reduced to attempting to simply bang the puck out of the zone rather than make plays and then join the attack.
“We played a bit more in our end than we want to,” Staal said. “We weren’t able to find the middle of the ice like we normally do.

I think we can agree that that right there IS Torts type of hockey.

Keep every thing to the outside. Shut off all prime scoring areas (ie front of the net)

Rangers were great at that during his tenure here and the Canucks were good at that last night.

Lack of finishing hurt VAN last night which is also a common Torts style problem.

Despite being all but assured of a playoff spot at this point the Rangers are still fighting for positioning, you don't let off the gas and coast into the playoffs at this point, that's a bad bad idea. AV has been great at rolling 4 lines and giving the team rest days this season, I don't think that they need a rest in general. If McDonagh needs some time I think he'll sit but it'd be idiotic to sit a bunch of other players to "rest up" for the playoffs at this point.

Keep going, try to clinch 2nd in the division, keep the team hot and ready to do damage in the playoffs.

If there are players playing with nagging injuries, it wouldn't be the dumbest move to make at game 81 and 82. Not now, I agree.

If the Canucks can do this to us, imagine a real team in the playoffs. This is very worrisome:

The Canucks, facing elimination from the playoffs, were a desperate team and played like it, hemming the Rangers in most of the way. The Blueshirts were unable to create much time and space. Their defensemen were reduced to attempting to simply bang the puck out of the zone rather than make plays and then join the attack.
“We played a bit more in our end than we want to,” Staal said. “We weren’t able to find the middle of the ice like we normally do.

I mean...it's a Torts team and this is kind of how Vancouver has played recently. They forecheck hard and work hard but they suck at getting to the middle of the ice and scoring goals, but that doesn't make it easy to play them.

The only team that's scary in the east is Boston and we can hope someone manages to take them out before the Rangers would assumedly face them in the ECF (if they make it there).

Getting bent out of shape about "oh my god a REAL team is going to kill this team!" is silly considering the Rangers overall body of work since December and the fact that in the NHL even the crappy teams can give you a run for your money on any given night.

If there are players playing with nagging injuries, it wouldn't be the dumbest move to make at game 81 and 82. Not now, I agree.

Yeah, though I can't think of anyone who seems to be playing with an injury at this point other than the obvious injuries to John Moore and now McDonagh. Yeah I'd rather McDonagh sit some games if he needs that to heal up for the playoffs though...hopefully it is nothing serious and we won't be talking about weeks of recovery time.

On the bright side good thing they picked up Diaz, he seems quite solid and while it isn't nearly as good without McDonagh, the D seems like it should be steady enough for awhile

Keep every thing to the outside. Shut off all prime scoring areas (ie front of the net)

Rangers were great at that during his tenure here and the Canucks were good at that last night.

Lack of finishing hurt VAN last night which is also a common Torts style problem.

We could still have scored 5 goal last night. Missed net on a breakaway, missed net on a tip in, Poo getting robbed, missed tip in by Zucc. These Canucks are not as good defensively as the Rangers the last 2 years under Torts, not by a long shot.